About Us

---

  Education is the foundation of any doctor. Dr. Patel earned his bachelor-of-science degree in Biology in May 1992. In May of 1996, he proudly received his Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the well-respected Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis.

Dr. Patel moved to Atlanta to begin his dental career after working his way up to clinical director for one of Atlanta’s largest dental offices, he opened the doors to his own practice in May of 2001 in Marietta. Here, he had a brand new vision and a mission for providing unparalleled customer service excellence.

Since its founding, Dentistry at East Piedmont has emerged as one of the most renowned, upscale private dental spas in the state of Georgia, with Dr. Patel becoming the only Official Dentist of the Miss Georgia USA and Miss Teen Georgia USA pageants. In 2018 and 2019, Dr. Patel was named one of Atlanta’s Top Dentists by Atlanta Magazine.

Dr. Patel not only offers continually current state-of-the-art treatment options to all his patients here in Georgia, but he also stays connected to giving back and serving patients around the world with needs for dental care. Traveling annually to foreign countries, Patel provides dental services to children, the elderly, and all ages in between. Through the highly respectable Flying Doctors of America program, of which he is a member and board adviser, he delivers oral health care where these services are not available.

Dr. Patel and his staff are consistently improving and implementing the newest technologies through the top seminars across the country. He is also a graduate of the Hornbrook Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry Continuum, which only about 5 percent of dentists worldwide have completed.

Dr. Dahlia Levine, an Atlanta native, finds joy in crafting beautiful and healthy smiles for her patients. Every patient can expect to be treated like family in her gentle hands.

Dr. Levine received her BS in Biology from Georgia State University where she served as President of the Honors College and graduated summa cum laude. She went on to attend the Dental College of Georgia (DCG) where she graduated as Valedictorian of her class. While at DCG, Dr. Levine presented research at the Academy of General Dentistry, American Academy of Oral Medicine, and DCG clinical research day. After completing dental school, Dr. Levine pursued Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at the CNVA in Augusta. This program equipped her with in-depth training in IV sedation, oral surgery, implant therapy, periodontics, and complex restorative work. 

While in dental school, Dr. Levine was awarded a prestigious grant from the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation and launched Comprehensive Oral Health Promotion and Education (COPE) with Cancer. COPE focuses on a whole health approach to helping patients deal with the oral ramifications of cancer treatment.  Dr. Levine was awarded the American Red Cross Educator Hero Award in 2018 for these efforts.

Dr. Levine and her husband AJ live in Atlanta with their young daughter and two dogs. When she isn’t practicing dentistry, Dr. Levine can be found pursuing her other passions, including playing drums, crafting, and exploring the great outdoors.

Dr. Danielle Bauman is committed to providing the excellent dental care that you and your family have come to expect. Dr. Bauman is caring, passionate, and intentional. We know that you will appreciate her clinical expertise and chairside manner.

Dr. Danielle Bauman grew up in Alpharetta, Georgia, and recently moved back to the peach state with her husband and son. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from the University of Georgia. She then attended the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University to earn her Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree, graduating with summa cum laude honors at the top of her class. In addition, she was an active member of the esteemed Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society, among other outstanding achievements. Dr. Bauman then went on to complete an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency at the Dental College of Georgia, where she received extensive training in sedation, implants, and other areas of modern dental techniques.

Dr. Bauman looks forward to developing long-term relationships with current and future patients at Dentistry at East Piedmont. She is committed to patient comfort and looks forward to continuing to practice gentle, patient-centered dentistry. Her goal is to be as conservative as possible and make every smile just as healthy as it is beautiful.

Outside the dental office, Dr. Bauman enjoys biking, hiking, trying new restaurants, spending quality time with family and friends, and cheering on her Georgia Bulldogs!

Dr. Prempeh is a native of Rocky Point, North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science with a minor in Chemistry. Following her undergraduate studies, she worked as a Microbiology Medical Technologist at Duke University Hospital and at the Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center for 3 years before enrolling in dental school. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012. Also in 2012, Dr. Prempeh traveled to Texas and attended the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where she received specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry. Her specialty training included management of medically compromised and special needs children, oral conscious sedation, general anesthesia, and interceptive orthodontic treatment. While in Texas, she also received a Masters in Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, which cultivated her passion for health education, prevention, and child advocacy.

Dr. Prempeh is a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and is an active member of the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Prempeh lives in Acworth with her husband, Max, and her two daughters, Mahayli (2 years old) and Maliyah (1 year old). She also has a step-daughter, Anisa, who lives in Atlanta. Dr. Prempeh loves traveling, experiencing new restaurants, and spending time with her family.

 Dr. Krieger received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Tulane University, earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery at Emory University and residency in pediatric dentistry at Medical University of South Carolina. He has been in private practice in Marietta since 1976. He previously had been a faculty member at the Emory University School of Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a Fellow of the International College Of Dentists and many other professional organizations. He teaches courses in the management of medical emergencies in the dental office, and is a consultant for the Georgia Board of Dentistry regarding conscious sedation for children. He is also the author of a number of articles in the field of pediatric dentistry. Dr. Krieger has been on numerous medical mission trips to Central and South America with the organization HTCNE to treat children who have little access to dental care. Dr. Krieger is married to Nancy Krieger; they are the parents of Allison and Max. 

Dr. Gulati received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Birmingham-Southern College and graduated cum laude. She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with Honors in 2008. Dr. Gulati wanted to pursue additional training in all aspects of dentistry so in 2009 completed a General Practice Residency at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC. After practicing a few years as a general practitioner, she decided to pursue her true passion, pediatric dentistry. Dr. Gulati was accepted into the pediatric dental residency program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During her time there, she was selected as an International Research Center Interdisciplinary Trainee in Special Patient Care. After residency, Dr. Gulati worked in Charlotte for 2 years before moving to Atlanta. During her time in Charlotte, parents independently selected and voted Dr. Gulati as a top “Mom Approved” Pediatric Dentist for 2015 in the Charlotte Parent Magazine. 

Dr. Benefield moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992 from Florida. She was born in Bogota, Colombia, before moving to Florida when she was 3 years old. She graduated from Georgia State University with a BS in biology in 1999. While attending Georgia State University, she worked in a dental office as an orthodontic assistant, where her love for dentistry began.

In her free time, Dr. Benefield enjoys spending time with her husband, Shane, and their daughters, Kayla and Kylie. They enjoy the outdoors and traveling to new places. Dr. Benefield enjoys the company of her family and friends, traveling, and weight training. She enjoys the opportunity to explore different cultures and geographies.

Providing my patients with beautiful, healthy smiles and seeing the difference I can make in their lives is my passion. After practicing for so many years, I feel my patients are more like friends. I enjoy hearing about what is going on in their lives and catching up with them during their appointments. I am so fortunate to truly enjoy my profession, and I owe it to my patients that I get to see every day. I am aware that most people dread going to the dentist, so I try to give each patient a gentle touch that allows them to stay comfortable and feel secure in the dental care they are receiving.

Our office is staffed with very sweet and friendly people, filled with kindness and compassion. They are committed to working as a partner with each patient to maximize their dental health. My team enjoys what they do, and they are genuinely concerned about the well-being of each patient. We all want the best for them and will do everything we can to create a smile our patients will treasure for a lifetime. — Dr. Benefield

  Dr. Popple is a native to Gwinnett County, graduating from Parkview High School. He went on to attend Berry College on a soccer scholarship where he was captain of the men’s soccer team his senior year. He received the Georgia Peach of an Athlete Award given by the Boy Scouts of America for those “who excel in academics, athletics and leadership.” Dr. Popple attended the Dental College of Georgia and graduated with a Doctorate in Dental Medicine and was Inducted into the Alpha Upsilon Phi Honors Society. He is a member of the Georgia Dental Association as well as the American Dental Association. Dr. Popple and his wife Dr. Lola Oh, who is also a dentist, have two dogs Jed and Bailey. They reside in midtown Atlanta. When not in the office, Dr. Popple loves to play sports, spend time at Lake Lanier and hang-out with friends and family

Dr. Nalini Kataria, lovingly referred to as Dr. K by her patients, is best known for her compassionate approach in treating her patients. As a practicing dentist for almost 10 years, she has perfected the art of providing nearly painless dentistry with the highest standards of care. With the desire to provide the best quality of care, she utilizes cutting edge technology in her practice such as Same Day Crowns using CEREC, High Res Intra Oral Cameras, 3D Cone Beam Imaging. As a long-standing member of the American Dental Society (ADA), Dr. K contributes her knowledge and experience to clinical research projects for the dental branch of the National Institute of Health (NIH). Her ongoing research has enhanced her dental practice, giving patients access to the most current treatment methods. Serving as a Clinical Investigator, she has completed research on the Successful Crown Study and Caries Detection Devices, while still pursuing the Cracked Tooth Study. Dr. K is a graduate of Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine. To stay current on the latest advancements in dentistry, she takes numerous continuing education courses throughout the year. Amongst the subjects that she is most passionate about are Implants, Veneers, Invisalign, and Short term / Adult Orthodontics. Dr. K is a wife and mother of two children. She currently resides in East Cobb and enjoys spending time with her family. In her leisure time, she takes dancing classes with her husband and participates in dance performances. Furthermore, she enjoys reading, cooking, and working in her kitchen garden.